Well that's 7 days I won't get back.

[johnr]

Salmonella poisoning! I don't recommend it. Still suffering but things have improved a bit.

[Guzzistajohn]

Didn't Sammy Davis Jr. And Ella Fitzgerald have a restaurant by that name? Glad your feeling better. Js

[56Pan]

Worked in Budapest in '06-'07 and got it there.  From a Chinese restaurant, I'm pretty sure.  Still had to make it to work as I was the only one there at the time.  In the winter, with up to 5 L-1011's and 757's to meet, fix and turnaround every day.  It was deep and profound suffering.  You have my sympathy.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Dorcia got it in Sioux City.. thought the chicken salad tasted different. She was near death. There would have been no going to work, she couldn't even stand up.
Nasty nasty stuff.

[Lannis]

Salmonella poisoning! I don't recommend it. Still suffering but things have improved a bit.

For avoidance purposes in future, any idea of how you might have contracted the infection?

Lannis

[Triple Jim]

I got it years ago from a cherry meringue dessert at a very nice country restaurant near the Chesapeake Bay in MD.  Now I avoid meringue unless it's made by me or my wife.  It is definitely a horrible sickness, and you really do feel like you're close to death while you have it. 

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from Triple Jim:

It is definitely a horrible sickness, and you really do feel like you're close to death while you have it.

And wish you could just die. Don't remember being told what it was except food poisoning. Christmas break my senior year of high school. Was hospitalized for three days. Have never felt that bad for that long before or after, thank God.
GliderJohn

[johnr]

For avoidance purposes in future, any idea of how you might have contracted the infection?

Lannis

Yes Lannis. Entirely my own fault. I took a chance on some under cooked chicken, and paid the price.

A strange thing for me to do. I've even been known to turn away steaks at a restaurant if I feel that with the help of a branding iron and needle and thread I could bring the beggar back to life.

I don't think I'll be able to look at chicken for quite a while now.

I could not have worked that's for sure. Lost 12 kilos of weight. Water took 20 minutes to get through me and the little food I had (3 slices of bread and a half serve of porridge over 6 days) just a little longer.

( I believe it can be fatal)

Thanks for the empathy and sympathy guys. I did feel the need for some.

[ohiorider]

Glad you're recovering.

Did hospital have you on intravenous saline solution, or did you simply guzzle lots of water?

Bob

[johnr]

Glad you're recovering.

Did hospital have you on intravenous saline solution, or did you simply guzzle lots of water?

Bob

I didn't go to hospital, and I was finally well enough for a friend to take me to the GP on Tuesday. Until then I had to just tough it out, though if it had got any worse I think I might have tried an ambulance.

I was aware of the dangers of dehydration and tried, with minimal success to keep my fluids up but most of it just went straight through. Apparently water does not get absorbed under such conditions but does at least help to flush the nasties.

Doc prescribed some 'blockers' though I'm not sure they are powerful enough, and electrolytes, which apparently absorb much more effectively. They are helping and I've gone through half the supply of electrolytes since yesterday.   

[Lannis]

I didn't go to hospital, and I was finally well enough for a friend to take me to the GP on Tuesday. Until then I had to just tough it out, though if it had got any worse I think I might have tried an ambulance.

I was aware of the dangers of dehydration and tried, with minimal success to keep my fluids up but most of it just went straight through. Apparently water does not get absorbed under such conditions but does at least help to flush the nasties.

Doc prescribed some 'blockers' though I'm not sure they are powerful enough, and electrolytes, which apparently absorb much more effectively. They are helping and I've gone through half the supply of electrolytes since yesterday.

Hard to know when to "tough it out", and when to cash in your "Man Card" and call for help!   We always tend to err on the "I don't want to ride in an ambulance and have people fuss over me" side.   I know I do.

I got some kind of food poisoning when I was 21 from some "past due date" sour cream I was using to dip potato chips in .... absolute misery and puking and diarrhea for about 12 hours, so probably wasn't salmonella.

Glad you said something about underdone chicken - I tend to not like "hard cooked" chicken that has the consistency of rubber, so when I grill it, I tend to go to the "soft" (not to say 'underdone') side.    I'll make sure I get it over "Salmonella-killing" temperatures in future .....

Lannis 

[johnr]

Hard to know when to "tough it out", and when to cash in your "Man Card" and call for help!   We always tend to err on the "I don't want to ride in an ambulance and have people fuss over me" side.   I know I do.

Part of the reason I was reluctant to call an ambulance was that I knew I could not make the 4 miles to hospital without fouling it. Not something I relished, and certainly not something I would inflict on a friends car.

Also the ambulance service in this county is run as a charity and maned in great part by (qualified) volunteers. To keep afloat they bill you for their services. $167 for the 4 mile trip last time I used one. I can get a new rear tire for the Guzz for that. At the end of the day too, apart from the fluid problem (which could have been solved with a drip) I was not at all sure that I would be any better off in hospital.

Glad you said something about underdone chicken - I tend to not like "hard cooked" chicken that has the consistency of rubber, so when I grill it, I tend to go to the "soft" (not to say 'underdone') side.    I'll make sure I get it over "Salmonella-killing" temperatures in future .....

Lannis

Do that Lannis. Chicken is notorious for this and must be cooked. Anything remotely 'rare' in chicken is not cooked.

[Demar]

Glad your on the mend John. 

[Lannis]

Part of the reason I was reluctant to call an ambulance was that I knew I could not make the 4 miles to hospital without fouling it. Not something I relished, and certainly not something I would inflict on a friends car.

Also the ambulance service in this county is run as a charity and maned in great part by (qualified) volunteers. To keep afloat they bill you for their services. $167 for the 4 mile trip last time I used one. I can get a new rear tire for the Guzz for that. At the end of the day too, apart from the fluid problem (which could have been solved with a drip) I was not at all sure that I would be any better off in hospital.

I don't think your ambulance service has quite got the concept of "Charity" down.   Our Rescue Squad is a volunteer one too (as well as our Fire Department), but they don't charge anyone for their services .... ?    That's one 'life or death' decision I'd hate to make based on checking my wallet first!   

Also, don't worry about "fouling" an ambulance.   Believe me, those EMTs have seen a lot worse things happen in their ambulance than you're going to be able to do to them!!   It's part of their job.

I say all this because 20 years ago, when I had an episode of Tachycardia at work (heart rate of 280 beats/minute, just a mere flutter that couldn't really pump and had me about passing out), I chose to DRIVE myself to the emergency room rather than have the very competent EMTs at my workplace carry me there in a nice ambulance.    Just because "A man should handle his own emergencies" and "I don't want a crowd of people around saying 'What happened to Lannis?'".   Dumb stuff.

I made it, but barely.   Ten minutes later they stopped my heart for a few seconds and restarted it.   THAT'S one weird feeling ....

So, guys, call for help when it's time ....  and there's no "pink meat" in a chicken!

Lannis

[Waltr]

ATE SOME SEAFOOD SALAD AT A SALAD BAR THAT WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA.  THREE DAYS IN BED.  I REMEMBER SITTING ON THE TOILET AND PUKING IN THE BATHTUB AT THE SAME TIME!

[johnr]

Oh don't worry, once I realised I was having them when I was having my heart attacks I hesitated about 1/2 a second about calling an ambulance. I just didn't think I had reached that point with this.

Ambulance funding has to come from somewhere but I agree that billing for the ride is less than ideal. Personally I think they should be fully funded by Govt.

At least if you can't pay the bill as I was unable to they don't pursue it other than a few reminders. It's more like a strongly suggested donation I suppose. I would hate to see the service diminish through lack of funds.

Also, you can actually join the organisation (St. Johns) for about $20 (I think) a year which gives you uncharged rides if needed.  I may actually do that.

As a by the by, they run really excellent 1st aid courses. I wouldn't mind doing one of those too. My certificate ran out years ago. We had to do one as part of teacher training, but a 1st Aid certificate is only valid for 3 years.

[charlie b]

Man, that's cheap 'insurance' for a ride.  I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Glad you made it through.  I've had food poisoning but not the really bad stuff.  Just 48hrs worth at a time. 

I'll eat 'rubber' chicken all day rather than chance it.  I don't really care for chicken that much anyway so not such a big deal.

[rodekyll]

It sounds like 7 days you don't want to get back.   

Glad you got through it.  I had something similar once about 30 years ago.  I still remember it vividly.

[John A]

I got it in Cairo, Egypt in '77. That was before we learned to bring bottled water on those trips so 7UP is what kept me hydrated. Still had to fly and complete the mission. I was not the pilot and it added a component of misery to an interesting time. If I went to a hospital there was the possibility I might have been left there if we had to leave in a hurry so I toughed it out somehow. In retrospect I should have went to the US embassy, I'm sure they would have had a medic there. After that I used to take a quick look at the kitchen ,pretending I was looking for the can and got confused. If the kitchen looked a little dirty, I went elsewhere to eat but I don't anymore , I can sort of tell by the general upkeep of the dining room and a clean place is no guarantee anyway.

[lucian]

Glad your on the mend, brings back bad memories. I got it once from duck eggs and I won't ever touch one again. We have a product called Pedialyte , It's a drink and also comes as  popsicles that will re hydrate you fast. Don't know if you have them or not, but they work good. 

[Subdewd]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/trouble-with-chicken/

Interesting documentary. Makes you at least consider where you're sourcing
your protein. Big ag has less than your health in mind when processing food
as proven repeatedly

[Moto]

I did that to myself 20 years ago making Spaghetti alla Carbonara with raw, organic eggs. Haven't made it since! Delicious, though.

You have my sympathies.

[Klaus]

That´s why I prefer a whisky or a brandy before any chicken !

 

Cheer up, John. 

[Yukonica]

 

Didn't Sammy Davis Jr. And Ella Fitzgerald have a restaurant by that name? Glad your feeling better. Js

[johnr]

Glad your on the mend, brings back bad memories. I got it once from duck eggs and I won't ever touch one again. We have a product called Pedialyte , It's a drink and also comes as  popsicles that will re hydrate you fast. Don't know if you have them or not, but they work good.

I'm using one called Enerlyte which is a similar product it seems
("Oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte solution for children or Enerlyte powder for adults (available on PSO), can be used.")

I'm still losing quite a lot fluid but I believe I've caught up with it with the help of this stuff. Makes a very pleasant drink too, or maybe that's just because my body is craving it. Might have to get some more.

[johnr]

Today, Friday, I woke for the first time since this unpleasant saga started, without the need to rush for the loo and the sense that the body was functioning again.

Great! I'm more than ready for that milestone.

There will be lingering 'imbalances' which I intend to address with millions of Alphadophilus's

[Triple Jim]

Isn't is amazing how good normal can feel?  It's like the guy who was hitting himself in the head with a hammer, and his friend asked why he was doing it.  "Because if feels so good when I stop."

[Sasquatch Jim]

 You guys need to quitcher bellyaching.

[old as dirt 2]

bet you really don't want those 7 days back, but rather very glad they are gone.

[Arizona Wayne]

Socialized medicine doesn't include the ambulance ride?  Hell, 15 years ago I had a Kalif. county that charged a flat rate of $600+ no matter how far it was for an ambulance ride.  1 time it was from 1 hospital to another that were 3 miles apart!!   Luckily I wasn't paying for it, but I saw the bill to my insurance.